Abigail (“Abby”) Abide Stephens joined Martin Tate in August 2018. Her practice is focused on litigating and resolving disputes for clients including commercial litigation, business torts/breach of non-competition agreements, breach of contract claims, negligence and premises liability defense, transportation liability, and employment litigation. In addition, Ms. Stephens advises clients regarding employment matters and in the drafting and negotiation of various contracts.
Ms. Stephens practices in both Tennessee and Mississippi. Prior to joining the firm, she served as a judicial law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett in the Southern District of Mississippi.
Education
Ms. Stephens graduated summa cum laude and first in her class at the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2017. She served as an Executive Articles Editor for Volume 86 of the Mississippi Law Journal and a research assistant to Associate Dean Ben Cooper. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award for the highest grade in Evidence, Property, Civil Procedure I and II, Corporations, Legal Profession, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Law.
Prior to law school, Ms. Stephens earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Mississippi in Southern Studies, where she also graduated summa cum laude.
Publication
Comment, “An Inquiry Reasonable Under the Circumstances:” Applying Rule 11 to Local Counsel, 85 Miss. L. J. 1649 (2017).